Thirsties reunion benefits musicians’ health care

Mobile has been home to many beloved watering holes that also served as venues for local bands. Throughout the ‘70s, Thirsties Tavern provided musical entertainment for the students of both Spring Hill College and the University of South Alabama. Of the many bands that performed there, The Blues Band is touted by many to be one of the most popular. The band’s lineup boasted talented locals Topper Price, Harold Floyd, Carroll “Fang” Barrett, Wick Larsen, Mike “Ratt” Connell and Twiggs Lyndon.

“The Blues Band” were regulars at Thirsties on Old Shell Road near University.

On Labor Day weekend 1976, The Blues Band brought recording equipment into Thirsties to record their performance. 92 ZEW’s Tim Camp served as the engineer during this session. Vickie Barrett, who is the wife of The Blues Band’s Carroll “Fang” Barrett, saved the reel-to-reel masters and recently had them digitized for a release called “Labor of Love 1976.”

This album is being released with philanthropic intentions and coincides with the Thirsties Reunion, which will be held on Friday, May 15 at Alchemy Tavern. After meeting the monetary needs of financing both the album and the reunion, the proceeds from “Labor of Love 1976” will be donated to the Musicians Brotherhood, a local nonprofit that provides financial assistance to musicians in need of medical procedures but do not have the money.

Physical copies are available, and digital copies can be purchased through CD Baby at www.cdbaby.com/m/cd/thebluesband. Donors to the Thirsties Reunion page on the charitable website GoFundMe can also obtain a copy of the historic local album.

Port City Men’s Chorus holding fundraiser In 2005, the Port City Men’s Chorus (PCMC) brought together both gay and gay-friendly men who wished to donate their voices in the name of community spirit. Since, the group has defined its mission to pursue “musical excellence in performance” and “promote social exchange within a group of men with a common purpose.”

Throughout the years, the public has experienced the PCMC at events such as ArtWalk, Mardi Gras and the Mobile Pride Celebration. Now, they are asking for the public to help support the group of musically-minded men with a very special event.

On Sunday, April 26 at 6 p.m., the PCMC will perform “Port City Goes Pop” at the Cornerstone Metropolitan Community Church, 1007 Government St. While entrance to the show is free, the chorus invites those planning to attend to arrive at 5:30 p.m. for a silent auction. All proceeds will support the group’s mission.

Panic returning to The Wharf As we were going to press, Widepsread Panic announced on their website they would be returning to The Amphitheater at The Wharf on Friday, May 22, along with special guests Col. Bruce Hampton and the Madrid Express and Bloodkin. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, April 24 at 10 a.m. For more information, visit widespreadpanic.com/tour.

About The Author

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s.
He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing.
While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer.
His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade.
As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children.
Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.